A Penny for your Ficklets
by XxMusicxKelseyxX
Summary: A place to drop my one-shots, primarily BettyxJughead so keep that in mind Also yes I spelled ficlets wrong. I prefer it with a k and I came up with it on a whim. Thanks nonny.
1. Re:Bound

_Shit, what have I done?_

Forsythe "Jughead" Jones III could not sleep, and worse yet his alarm was set to go off in an hour. He was in a cold sweat and terrified. With a murderer on the loose, that may very well make sense, but as a hormonal teenager, he was sweating over a girl instead of the gloom hanging over the town or even his broken family or perhaps his own homelessness.

Ever since he could remember, he had had a crush on Betty Cooper. Never did it develop into something more as he never got to hang out with her one on one and it was for the best as she was clearly in love with the red haired Adonis. But this year was different, and the dynamic of their triad was completely thrown off. Archie was now the third wheel to their newspaper, investigation, and secret friendship.

The more time he spent with Betty, the faster his heart began to beat. She asked him to write for the Blue and Gold with her. She investigated with him. She asked him (and Archie), to sit with her and the new girl, Veronica Lodge, at Pop's. When she turned her head to look at them, he took his arm off Archie and just looked at her. He could identify that exact moment because it was the second he realized he was no longer just crushing on Elizabeth "Betty" Cooper. He was falling, and hard. He made sure he sat across from her so he could watch her, even if she barely even noticed him all night.

And then he had to screw it all up. He kissed her. He _wanted_ to kiss her and he doubted he could ever truly regret it. She responded, too, so he didn't feel guilty either. But it plagued his mind.

She said she was over Archie Andrews, and he believed her. He was terrified of defining what they had and when his dad asked if he was dating her, he changed the subject. It wasn't that he was afraid she would reject him and decide they weren't "official" or whatever. What he feared was much worse, or at least to him. He was afraid of being the rebound; her way of getting over their ginger mutual friend. He wanted so much more than that.

In all his life, he never noticed girls, not in the way that the other guys did. He didn't notice boys either, like Kevin did. He didn't even understand media's fixation on looks and sexuality. But Betty Cooper was his exception to the rule and if he was with her, he wanted to be in it for the long haul. If she was the only one he noticed, then he would be perfectly content with never being with anyone else. He didn't _need_ anyone else.

And that's what terrified him. That she would break his grey little heart. Not on purpose, no never on purpose. That just wasn't his Betts. But eventually she would get bored with the words smith. She was a cheerleader after all, so she wasn't exactly a little fish in the river.

As scared as he was, as much as it haunted him and eluded his sleep, he was glad, because even if he sincerely did **not** want to be her rebound or anything so fickle and temporary, he knew she was going through just as much crap in her life as he was. He understood that, and he did everything he could to anchor her down, even if it meant drowning in his own feelings and insecurities along the way.

He didn't know what they were or how they would last, and he felt like a dumbass for kissing her, but he didn't regret it at all. He was in love with Betty Cooper, and as he finally fell asleep, that was enough for him.

A/N: wrote this a while back and couldn't publish it on my phone because Riverdale doesn't come up as an option on my mobile app??? But in light of the recent episode, I decided to publish it. Takes place after episode 6.


	2. Seven Minutes in Purgatory

Somehow after the hell that was god awful rejection at the school dance, Betty found herself at Cheryl Blossom's party. She honestly had no clue how they talked her into going, but here she was sitting on the couch feeling as flighty as a bird when Cheryl pulled out an empty bottle and decided someone was going to go into the closet with Archie Andrews.

Any other day, Betty would have begged for it to be her, but she was absolutely sick to her stomach and she knew there was no good way to come of this. If it _did_ land on her, it would be awkward and uncomfortable, but she'd be upset if it landed on anyone else, too.

As fate would have it, it landed between her and Veronica.

"Looks like it's Betty. Who knows, maybe you'll come out high school sweethearts." Cheryl chirped with a devilish grin. Betty had a feeling Cheryl was present during her earlier embarrassment and was just mocking her now.

Betty gulped as Archie awkwardly took her hand and led her into the large walk-in closet.

Once inside, she broke down and slid her back against the wall until she was a heaping mess of tears on the floor. Archie had no idea what to do.

"I've been in love with you for years. When you were little, you asked me to marry you, and I only said we had to wait because we were too little, but I wanted to, so badly. Everyone out there is going to laugh at me because they know, and I don't even understand how they know but they just do, and it's going to be humiliating. I don't understand how you can be so shocked and repulsed-"

"Betty, I-"

"Let me finish. So repulsed by even the _idea_ of being with me. I get it. We're people and I'm not owed anything just because I like you this way, but that doesn't mean it doesn't hurt like crazy. It hurts how you had no clue, while the whole school gossiped about it. None at all. I don't think I can even finish this, I'm just going to go home. Seven minutes in hell would be better than being here right now." She got up to leave and he grabbed her wrist and pulled her into a hug.

"I'm sorry Betty, so sorry. I'm an oblivious ass, and in no way did I ever mean to hurt you. You're my best friend." She pushed his off her.

 **Best friend.** Those word stung. Like a mountain she couldn't climb or an indisputable wall. She turned around and faced the door, gently placing her quivering hand on it. "I don't think I can be that right now. Just give me time." And with that, she wiped her eyes though her mascara was still running, and she stole off into the night, leaving Archie and Veronica to try and chase after her.

A:N: a what-if fic that I wrote a while ago and decided to publish with my other one. Takes place at Cheryl's party after the dance in episode 1


	3. Of Burgers and Bookstores (AU)

_AU where Jason did not die and as a result, almost none of the events that followed in the series occurred_.

Bitter. Betty Cooper was bitter, though she would never admit it out loud. Her demanding parents separated, but did not divorce. This meant that Hal Cooper could be the vindictive ass that he was and bar Alice from her place of employment- the newspaper they owned together- as well as not have any legal requirements to give financial support. They disagreed on what to do about their other daughter's teenage pregnancy. Now that might seem bad enough but with that in mind, Alice had no job to pay the bills and was forced to find a new career. On top of that, her new job didn't overcompensate for Hal not being forced to give so much of a dime to help keep a roof over his own daughters' head. So Betty was forced to get a job at Pop's.

In the mornings, she served her father boiling coffee as he seemed pleased at the less than ideal situation they were caught in because of him. He always made sure Betty knew it was Alice's fault for not surrendering in their battle of wills. After school, she served the football crowd and had to deal with the occasional sexual harrassment. She was told it was a "hazard of the job" but boy did she hate it. Something about "six points" in some weird game they had really flared her otherwise well-controlled temper.

The only upside of the job was she had a little money to herself. On her days off she went to a little hole-in-the-wall book store called The Book Nook. She spent almost all her extra cash on books from there. Her cashier smiled up at his regular customer.

Jughead Jones had been working there since his previous place of employment had been demolished by Betty's neighbor, Mr Andrews. This worked out for Jughead because there was an apartment he rented right above the store and he loved books just as much as he loved classic movies.

As kids, Betty used to hangout with Jughead and their mutual friend Archie Andrews but he had become more withdrawn in the past year and she felt this dissonance of him being both a friend and a stranger.

Jughead had a similar setup with Pop's. At work, he was allowed to read the books for free, so his pocket change went to Pop's where their roles were switched. She poured his coffee, as dark and bitter as he was. It became a sort of comfort, being in each other's company so often, even amongst all the chaos. Like a rock in the storm. Even if the most they had said in months went along the lines or "Can I take your order?" "A burger, fries, and coffee- black."

But today was different. Today, roles were reversed yet again. Betty ended up at her favourite store, but cried as she put Desdemona by Toni Morrison back on the shelf. She could not afford it. She came here out of comfort, not to buy the next book on her wishlist.

The boy at the counter looked around and left the till. "Don't worry about it, it's on me," Jughead said as he took the book back off the shelf and passed it back to her.

She looked up at him, eyes glimmering but a small smile coming out. "Thanks Juggie." His heart fluttered at the use of his old nickname. If he was being honest, he wouldn't let anyone else get away with calling him that.

"What's going on, Betty? It's so unlike you to cry in public."

 _In public_. It was the small ways Jughead noticed her humanity, and she appreciated that.

"You may have noticed that I work at Pop's these days. I mean, I serve you burgers practically every day, but you may not be aware of why. Probably assumed it was for book money or to build character." She took a deep breath and carried on. "The truth is, my dad tried to force my sister into having an abortion. My mom, however, wanted Polly to have a say. Well, a say between an abortion or adoption. Neither of them were too keen on her keeping the baby for herself. Apparently my dad tried to do it behind her back and I guess that's a sore spot for her so she threw him out of the house and he locked her out of our now smaller family's access to income. With her making less and no help from dad, I have had to work just to make the mortgage payments, but with Polly's medical bills we have fallen behind... the house is being foreclosed upon and we are going to be homeless. You're the only one outside family who I've talked to about this."

He froze. _Homeless._ Just a few months ago, that's what he had been and now the tables were turned and it was Betty who was losing everything. Nobody would have guessed this. He came from a vulnerable and broken home on the south side of town and she didn't. He pulled her into a hug and let her sob into his chest like she did when they were kids. He awkwardly patted her back, in a move he hoped would be comforting, and she just held on tighter.

"I don't have the space for everyone, but you're always become so stay upstairs with me if you want. I rent the apartment above the business." Jughead blushed, embarrassed by his proposal that seemed to come out of nowhere. Jughead always had a soft spot for Betty. "I know that's kind of weird since we don't really talk anymore, but I'll always still be your friend, Betty."

She closed her eyes. Betty Cooper was a good girl. She was expected to be perfect, without flaw. The last time she got an A- on a paper, her parents yelled at her and she locked herself in her room for the night. Her hair. Her makeup. Her writing. Never a thing out of place.

But things were wrong and she was wrong and she couldn't keep up the illusion anymore. She couldn't be _perfect_ anymore. "I know, that's why I made sure your usual table was in my section at work. And you know what, sure. Is tomorrow too soon to move in?" Her eyes giggled with excitement and without meaning to, he leaned in and kissed her.

"I would have moved tables if you weren't my server, Bets." Suddenly the bell chimed and another customer came in, interrupting their "moment". It was Jason, coming to tell Betty that Polly would be moving in with them. All that was left was to find a place for Alice to live and the family would survive. It would be fractured, but not broken.

The next day Jughead spent the whole day eating burgers and fries at Pop's. On Betty's break, he bought her a vanilla milkshake. At the end, they left together and he helped pack her room. She had so much more stuff than he did so he packed up his room as well and just moved into the common area, giving her the room with privacy to keep all her things. He didn't mind. He knew if their situations were flipped and Alice or Hal weren't in her way, she'd do the same for him.

Despite their new living situation and the kiss they shared downstairs, Jughead and Betty didn't start dating until many months later, after someone implied that they were. But the change felt natural and not awkward in the face of becoming slightly more than co-ed roommates.

It wasn't a perfect love story by any means, but ultimately, they found a home with each other and build a house around it.


	4. Selfish

A/N: something different. Decided to do something on Archie. Tried not to be too hard on him as a character. Takes place after the events of episode 10

Archie Andrews was always told he was a sweet kid and he believed it. He did nice things like stand up for Jughead and Cheryl. He gave the Late Jason Blossom's jersey to his grieving mother. He even assembled an amateur construction crew when the guys at Andrews Construction were bought out.

But today he put his head in his hands because he was not exactly the guy he thought himself to be. While all those events did happen and were nice things, Archie did a lot of other things too.

He bailed on his roadtrip with Jughead, he started keeping secrets from his dad, he kept up an illegal affair until he felt it was dangerous, and he traded in Veronica as a duet partner for Valerie. But that was just the tip of the iceberg.

He also threw Jughead's past in his face right in front of their best friend Betty, who also happens to be Jughead's girlfriend. The next thing we know, he lets pretty much every teenager in town come to his house for a birthday party he knew full well that his "brother" did not in any part want. It was bad enough with adding Kevin, Joaquin, Ethel, and Veronica. Archie just wanted to be cool and let loose. He just wanted to tap a keg. Yet it seemed Betty took most of the heat for his rash decision. They almost broke up, and he wasn't sure how he felt about that since he found the whole relationship thing to be weird even though he tried to be supportive.

He also, to add a Cherylesque cherry on top, drunk dialed his father and begged him to not divorce his mother. He knew it was what they needed since they wanted two completely different things. She was a big city girl and he was a small town guy. Irreconcilable differences, to borrow Jughead's words. And yet here they were, at his doorstep. He didn't know what it meant, but it came down on him like a landslide, because this was all on him this time.

I, Archie Andrews, am a selfish person. I love my friends and I love my family but I always put myself first, and am just now coming to the repercussions of this lifestyle.

...What have I done.


	5. Pearls Like Chains

A/N: spoilers for episode 11 and mention of a scene from a preview of episode 12. Also only wanted to upload one of my 2 new ones right away. This one will be followed by another Jughead one, maybe tomorrow.

Blackmail, a threat, it didn't matter what you called it. Veronica learned, for the first time in her life, that she was on a leash. In an effort to break free of her father's reign, she broke her collar, her pearl necklace.

If one is a slave but doesn't realize it, are they ever really free?

Veronica was not. No sooner then when she destroyed the necklace had she been put in a spot where she was to testify for her father on his behalf. She was revolted but was out of options. She did what she had to do.

And her reward for being a "good daughter", no a subservient lapdog, was a new collar. It was as if he knew she had broken her last one and was reigning in control. He had ears on everything, even in a high school it seemed. It was terrifying. A daddy's girl who was scared for her father to come home.

With this newfound knowledge, that he was probably going to be released and soon, primarily due to her own testimony, she panicked.

Clifford Blossom said he had sent Hiram to jail, but did Mr Lodge retaliate? On the outside, it looked like a child wanting to know the truth about her parent, but if you squinted you could make out the fear. Anything to keep him away from her. The necklace was tightening like a noose and her anxiety was through the roof.

After pressing for the party Betty suggested, because she wanted to let lose and yet couldn't, Veronica learned that the only one she could count on for what she needed was the one and only Archie Andrews. He was not above getting down in the dirt for the people he cared about, and she had Jughead as another angle to reel him in; hook line and sinker.

When neither of them found anything at FP's trailer, it should have been a win. _As bad as your dad is, he's not involved._ But that's not what she was looking for. She wasn't relieved to find zero evidence of her dad being complicit in a murder. She wanted them to keep him behind bars. There was no personal testimony that could save him if he was caught up in that, especially since Jason was just a teenager, and a future father.

It left Archie a bit confused that she didn't find it to be as much of a win as he did. But once one is aware of their chains, one can not go back to blissful ignorance, and Veronica was done with pearls.

She traded her friends in for her own freedom. That was the price she had to pay. But she was wrong. Maybe her father was involved, but FP wasn't, and she knew that as a fact since somebody outside their circle called the cops and gave grounds for a search even though the two never found anything. She also knew that box wasn't there, so he was framed. All that seemed lost now clicked into place. No matter what, this mystery was about to be solved, and whoever was in the thick of it would pay. This information was the only saving grace for any redemption with Betty, or even Jughead.

"Let's see what happens, shall we?" She leaned over and pressed play on the laptop.


	6. We Just Fell Into It

A/N: looking through my stash and this needs to be posted before my Jughead one because it will be awkward if it comes after. Takes place between episodes 10 and 11.

"Betty, we need to talk." She looked up from the old school computer in the Blue and Gold office to see Jughead shoot her an anxious glance. "Everyone keeps calling me your boyfriend."

Her breath caught in her throats and she willed herself not to cry. _Betty Cooper doesn't cry in front of people._ "It-it's okay Jug. You don't have to be my boyfriend if you don't want to be, they're just being silly. Just promise we can still be friends."

His heart broke. This was not the direction he meant to turn. He put his hand on her cheek and pulled her face close to his so they could see eye to eye. "That's not it, Betty. I kissed you, remember? I just want this to be real, to be for us, not them. And it feels so juvenile, cliché even-"

"Says the boy who calls me Juliet," Betty interrupted.

"Yeah yeah, let me finish. I want to be with you, Betty, but I feel like we're so much deeper than some superficial shallow high school romance. You're my partner in crime and I think I'll always see it that way, if you'll have me. But if you're that set on labels, I won't be upset. You're worth so much more to me that throwing around a few words. But we need to decide what this should look like. I want good communication, Betty. I've read enough books to know that's the number one relationship killer."

She grabbed his hands and squeezed that. "I'd like that. Whatever it is that we have, I want it to last. I was _you_ Jughead, and if we have to outline what that looks like, then outline away."

He felt relief and happiness but also a small bit of sadness for what was coming next. His insecurities came out at that party and he needed to get closure on that so he would never have the chance to fling that in her face again.

"Please don't be upset with me because I'm just being honest. Bets, I know you've been in love with Archie since we were like twelve, and that's a big thing to get over and I know you're not the kind of girl to just use someone as a rebound _on purpose_ so I just want to clear the air and get it out and over with so we never have to talk about it again."

She looked a mixture of hurt and anger; sadness and pain. "Jughead, when you first find yourself enamoured with someone, you don't have a lot to go on. Yeah there's expectations and Disney movies, but you don't exactly have experience to compare it to. It was just a stupid unrequited crush. More than anything, though, I think I just wanted to mirror Polly's life because I've looked up to my big sister for so long. Not that I want to get pregnant any time soon..." she nervously laughed. "It wasn't just any redhead, sure, but it was a cheerleader and her sweetheart football star. I don't even like football too terribly much, if I'm being honest. I don't even know for sure why I'm still on the cheer squad. I guess for my CV for University. You don't have to worry about Arch, Jughead. Honestly the whole thing is kind of creepy and weird to me now, as I see him more like the brother I never had. I don't mean to address Veronica's exposed elephant but I'm not Cheryl. I don't feel that way towards family." Jughead chuckled and pulled her in close.

"Well I hope not." He rested his head against hers and they lightly swayed to the sound of the breeze between the trees outside. "I'm sorry I had to bring it up, Betty. I may seem pretty suave and confident but with all my past I'm actually pretty insecure. Don't tell anyone, it's just you and me against the world. And maybe we'll let in a few others in from time to time but we're solid and there's nothing you can't talk to me about."

And with that Jughead threw his arm over her shoulder and she held his laptop in her arms like her life depended on it. They called it a day and went over to Pop's. Betty once said that a safe spot for her was a booth at Pop's with Archie, but she was wrong. It was a booth with Jughead, sharing fries, milkshakes, and burgers. Or really anywhere else they were, so long as they were together.


	7. Cracks in Me

Betty Cooper.

If you were to look up the definition of perfection, you'd see a picture of her. Betty was pushed to be the best from a young age. When little Archie Andrews invited her to play in the mud, the Coopers frowned and dragged their daughter away. She was groomed to be the sweet girl nextdoor with the flawless grades and not a hair out of place. When she failed to make cheer captain, let alone getting on the team, she she as banned from even trying again. It was a small stain long forgotten on her perfect reputation. And accomplishment Polly made while she did not.

But that wasn't Betty. She didn't love pink nearly as much as her mother wanted her to. She did most of the things demanded of her out of fear. The one thing everyone knew about Betty that was absolutely true was that she lived to make her parents proud of her. That's why she took attention pills even though she did not have ADHD, and even though the side effects were brutal. It was not her choice.

Jughead was just starting to tease out the real Betty under all the forced layers upon layers of good girl. But something interesting happened along the way.

Now everyone knew her secret, she was also _D_ _ark Betty,_ an alter ego she found equally repulsive yet she did not understand how she kept sliding into it, wearing it like a suit of armour. Chuck laughed and claimed he knew her better than she knew herself, but that was a lie. Dark Betty was as much a persona as Light Betty. The real Betty was a chaotic mixture of the two; she was human. She liked breaking curfew and sneaking around both as detectives and lovers with her beanie crown wearing boyfriend. She liked being alone together in a booth at Pop's or even just at their lunch table at school, inadvertently blocking out their friends to be in their own little world.

So if Light Betty wasn't what Betty wanted, and neither was Dark Betty, why does she do the crazy thinks she does?

There's a stereotype about a Pastor's daughter. She's more rebellious than the other girls. She likes boys or maybe even girls more than the other girls do. Why do you think that is? Well you know what I think? It's reactionary. Being forced into an image, being forced to be something or someone you're not is hazardous to your health. Specifically, your mental health. Like some sort of reverse psychology coping mechanism to let off some steam. _I have to be perfect so for these fives minutes, I'll be sin itself._ After years and years of psychological warfare, something had to give, right? **Betty, try harder in math. Betty, stop hanging out with Archie Andrews. Betty, we don't associate with kids from the south side. Betty, concentrate. Betty, get changed, you look like a goth in those black jeans. Betty, get into an Ivy League school. Betty, have a perfect GPA.** _Betty this, Betty that. And there was Polly this and Polly that._ And truth be told, the pressure just about doubled when Polly was taken away while Betty was away on her summer internship. She was to make up for the supposed failures of her sister. How could this not cause a fissure in her carefully constructed mask? Her hair was down and messy.

Betty cared what people thought, maybe even a bit too much.

"You're not a monster, Betty. This may be a part of you, but it's not all of you. A part of you will always be the girl who does her best to please her parents, and maybe a part of you will always be a rebel without a cause, but underneath all that is still Betty, just Betty. You don't have to try so hard or run from it or even figure it out. You're so much more than any of these stupid labels. I'm more than a kid from the wrong side of town. We're complicated. Like stereotypes with wrenches thrown in the works. So just be you, be _Betty,_ and don't worry so much what that should look like. If you learn to let go and just be yourself, everything will just fall into place." He rested his forehead against her. "And I'll be with you every step of the way, I promise. And Veronica, and Kevin, and Archie, and maybe even Ethel. I'm sure even Polly, when the time is right. Everything is going to work out. Maybe not perfectly and maybe not today but just hold on."

And she did. And she felt a weight leave her. She was fractured, not broken, and he was right. She wasn't alone and with all the special people in her life she knew she could get through this.


	8. Treehouse of Innocence

A/N: set right after episode 11

Somehow they always found each other, like they were magnetically attracted. There was no place to hide from the other, but that did not stop Jughead Jones III from trying.

Everyone thought he misunderstood, that he thought Betty was complicit in the search, and for a second he did, but even just hearing that people wanted to investigate doors he had already closed and Betty keeping that secret broke him. So he ran to probably the most obvious place, and for once it wasn't Pop's.

He brought his anger out on his yellow taped house. His father made good on his word, something he was holding out hope for like a last chance in a sea of darkness. To add to that, JB and his mother were going to come back. The only bad thing in the picture was moving to Toledo, away from Archie but mostly away from Betty. It was almost the ideal picture he painted for his family. His dad had been going to work and wasn't even drinking. He was so proud. But now he was guilty, and Jughead could no longer stay, cast from the garden of Eden of an idealized situation.

After first checking Pop's, more out of a naïve hope then anything since he would guess that would be the first place she would check, she went off. Even with this new information Veronica and Archie had given her, she was still not in a good place to let them tag along. If she brought them, it would solidify her as on their side to Jughead, and she felt like Polly and Jughead were the only _real_ family she had right now.

She cried when she entered the trailer. The yellow tape was mangled and the living room was trashed, though she didn't know how much was from the search versus Jughead's anger. She knew he had been there. She searched all around for any clues, being the detective that she seemed to be, for where he may have gone or maybe if he was still there. No such luck.

With the drive-in demolished, there was only one place she could think of left to check. She felt a bit silly going there. She hadn't been in over half a decade, but the only alternative was checking by Sweetwater River and that did not sound like a desireable option, all things considered, and it wasn't exactly a place they went to often.

It was a treehouse, and it belonged to Jughead. It was well built since FP and Fred created buildings for a living, so it was still pretty sturdy. It was pretty small, with one way in or out. If he was up there, there was no more running. Potentially cornering him terrified her almost as much as the thought of finding him, but she had to do it.

And she did. He was pressed up against the wall with eyes wide like a trapped animal and she whimpered at the sight. She looked down at the floor and let herself fall against the wall.

After a seemingly endless silence, Betty spoke. "Everyone says I'm good and I've never really believed it. Even Archie said he wasn't _good enough_ for me because I'm supposedly so good, but it's a lie Juggy. I'm just as messed up as everyone else, but I tried so hard to do the right thing and keep you out of this mess and yet I failed, miserably. And you're right, it was naïve of me to think my mom would just let it go because you were excited for our families to get together, it was a big step for us. It turned into a mess anyways. She wasn't even subtle. And I'm so sorry about your dad, Jughead. I've been searching for you all night and I ran into Veronica and Archie and told them I never want to see them again. Maybe I need a fresh start somewhere new, too. Heh. But I think after all the secrets, you should know what they told me. When they searched your dad's, no _your_ trailer, they didn't find anything." Silence.

"Do you know what this means? It means FP was framed and you were right all along, Jughead. Even if you never forgive me, you deserve to know, and I'll do anything in my power to help prove the gun was planted. And I know I'm one of the last people you want to see, but I'm not leaving here tonight without you. You don't have to talk, you can even glare, I deserve it, but I won't leave you alone on a night like tonight in this stupid dangerous town."

With the last little bit of courage she could muster, Betty said the one thing she had been thinking all night. It came out very quiet, but he heard it. She felt it might be selfish to say and she was terrified. "I love you, Jughead."

He said nothing, just sat there kind of numb from what he decided was the worst day of his life so far, which was ironic since for a small moment he thought it would be the best. He couldn't rule out that it could get worse from here on out, though.. So they sat opposite ends until they fell asleep shivering in the dark and in the morning they both left without a word, one after the other. There were a lot of tears for lost innocence.


	9. You'll Be Needing a Nickname

A/N: this one is based off of Hannah's prompt. Its been done a few times before, so I'm going to try and throw in my own twist. Takes place after episode 11, but without the sheriff finding anything and thus sending FP to jail. Jughead has still run away, but he's upset at the betrayal of his friends, not because he held out so much hope for his dad.

He ran straight home without stopping. He was red in the face and out of breath when his dad looked over from the television.

"You're home early, what happened?" He flipped the TV off, noticing how upset his boy was. "Where's Betty?"

"You were wrong about her, dad. I'm sorry I hesitated earlier. You were right. Riverdale is no place for us Joneses. I'm ready to leave it all behind and move to Toledo."

"Jug, tell me what happened. You broke up with Betty?"

"Dad, did you notice anything weird or out of place when you got home?"

"Not especially, why?"

"Archie and Veronica broke in here while we were having dinner at the Coopers' to see if there was any incriminating evidence to prove you were involved in the murder."

"Wow, I don't even know what to say except- how does Betty tie into this again?"

"She knew her Mom only invited us over to investigate and you never told me. She let me believe things were fine when she knew her mom wanted to investigate you. I believed you when you said you weren't involved and I thought she believed in me but her betrayal hurts most of all." He felt like screaming and throwing things around but this was his home, for now, and he didn't want to do that to his dad. "When is the soonest we can leave?" His anger dissipated to a simmer.

"A week, but Jug, I'm not gonna let you leave without talking this through with Betty. At the very least, hear her out. Remember last time? I'm sure you'll be glad you did." FP patted his son on the back and walked him back to the door. "I'll take you to a movie tomorrow if I'm wrong but if I had to guess, I'd say she's probably at Pop's Chocklit Shoppe. Come home after, but no chickening out, ya hear?"

He slowly walked with his hands in his pockets over to his favourite eating establishment, occasionally kicking a rock along the way. His father must have been a prophet or something, because low and behold, Betty was sitting at their usually table nursing a milkshake and a broken heart. Her whole body was shuddering as she cried. She didn't even hear the sound of him coming in nor sliding into the other side of the booth.

"Betty, what are you doing here?" She was a mess. Still in her gown, but her shoes were mangled, her hair was a mess, and her makeup was a disaster from all the crying.

"I went looking for you but then I got scared. Mom tried to say it was for the best but this whole thing is all her fault. We were doing just fine on our own, and she told me it was just a dinner and your dad's involvement with the crime probably wouldn't even come up. I swear I didn't even know about Veronica and Archie until I saw them arrive late to the dance and talking with my mother. I don't even want to be around her right now, I feel so sick. I'm sorry, Jughead, I'm sorry! You're family to me, and if I knew my actions would have such terrible consequences then I never would have done them. I just wanted you to be happy because I love you, Juggie. You're more my family than she is right now."

He moved from sitting across from her, interrogation-style, to sitting beside her and pulling her into a tight hug as she cried into his chest.

"Please don't leave me here, not with them."

"Oh Betty, how could I now when you've told me you love me and consider me family? Betts, I was hard on you because I felt a deep sense of betrayal. Archie is like my brother and I have conflicting feelings about Veronica, but I've bore my soul to you, so even though your part in these events was much smaller, it cut so much deeper. I now realize that you were just being Betty, trying so hard to please everyone. You could have been involved, but you fought against it as hard as you could and I love you for that. I'm afraid I'm still going to Toledo, though. I need my family to be whole again."

She gripped his shirt tighter and cried even harder. He pulled her off and looked her in the eye.

"Betty, come with us, with me. My dad likes you and I'm sure Jellybean would love having another girl in the house. There won't be any stupid friends or drama, just you and me. What do you say?"

She sniffles up at him. "I love your family and I miss Jellybean but I'm just a minor and my mother would never allow it. I had to threaten her just to leave the house tonight."

Jughead paused for a minute and fished something out of his pocket. It was a fairly large washer he had in his pocket from his brief stint as a construction worker.

"Marry me, Betty. I know this isn't romantic or ideal, and we'll be stuck here for a week while things get finalized, but your mom won't have any legal authority over to stop you. You don't have to if you don't want to, but I don't want to leave this one good thing behind." She held out her hand and he slid the washer on. It was loose, but it was basically just a place holder.

"My dad's actually an officiant. I guess not a lot of priests want to marry gang members these days," he laughed nervously.

She simply nodded and so they paid the bill and left back to Sunnyside.

He was wearing his formal jacket and she was wearing that same silver dress, though her hair was redone and her feet were bare. They said their vows under some Christmas lights they had fished out from storage and used some heirloom rings Jughead has inherited from his grandparents, and FP pronounced them "son and daughter-in-law". It was a bit unconventional, but it suited them just fine. They were weird, and Jughead even let Betty push his hat off and tangle her hands through his hair as he kissed the bride.

"I'm sorry this is the wedding you got. You deserve so much more. Maybe some day we can do this right and renew our vows" he breathed as they swayed to the invisible music.

She smiled up at him. "No, it's perfect just like this. Just you and me, that's all I need."

"Well if that's all it takes," he smiled at her, "but it just occurred to me, Mrs Jones, that you'll be needing a nickname." He twirled her around. "It's a Jones thing."

She giggled.

"I don't have an interesting first name like you to replace with a nickname. I just got Betty, short for Elizabeth, but you can tell me anything you want, Mr Jones."

The honeymoon weekend went by with a whirl. They watched movies and listened to Records's and Jughead even called his mom so that they could discuss the future. It was bliss, but weekends don't last forever and soon enough they were waking up to go to school.

Betty went to the front office with all the documentation to change her name first thing in the morning. They were in such a good mood that they almost forgot that they weren't speaking to Archie or Veronica, that is until they showed up.

The couple promptly walked past them and shouted a hello at Kevin, the remaining friend from their group. Betty frowned a bit at the thought of leaving Kevin behind but she decided she would make the most of their last week together. It wouldn't be that much different from when she didn't see her for her summer internship in LA.

She texted "husband" during class to let him know she wanted to break the news to Kevin at lunch hour. When lunch finally came around, the couple led Kevin away to the secluded part of the picnic tables outside, away from prying eyes. Archie and Veronica sat 2 tables over, staring the whole time but they were left ignored.

"Kevin, we have something to tell you, we're-"

"Betty Jones to the office please, you have a visitor." Betty turned a bright red and Jughead nervously laughed.

"Surprise, we got married the other night. Sorry you weren't invited Kevin, but it was a spur of the moment deal. We can give you more details later. Better see whose waiting in the office." Archie's jaw dropped and Veronica's eyes went wide.

The three walked into the office to find a fuming Alice followed by an annoyed Hal.

"I came here to look for you and make sure you were okay since you ignored my calls all weekend and I couldn't find you anywhere and THIS is how your own mother finds out you got married behind her back?!"

"I told you I love Jughead, and I told you he was my family. We're moving to Toledo together, and legally you can't really stop us."

Mrs Cooper glared but then her eyes softened when she looked down at Jughead and sighed. "I don't like this but at least it's not Archie. You better get Polly home before you leave and promise to visit as often you can. I know it's only a 2 hour train ride away." Alice pulled Betty, then making Jughead join in with her free arm.

"Take care of my baby girl," said Hal. It was a lot easier for him since he wasn't with his family anyways.

By the end of the week, Kevin had talked the two into letting him throw them a not-so-surprise wedding reception/going away party. Begrudgingly, the two even let their ex friends come, though the affair was crashed by the whole school anyways.

Chuck had inappropriately laughed and told Jughead that Betty's Crazy was his responsibility now. Cheryl rolled her eyes, not liking how the spotlight was away from her. Reggie joked that it was a shame Betty didn't have a bachelorette party he could have crashed. Dilton gave them a self-help book on marriage. Trev Brown asked for a dance. Archie wrote a song. Veronica had a fancy cake flown in from New York. Kevin cried and held on a little longer. Finally, it was Polly's turn.

"I promise to solve this case for us Betty." She then turned to Jughead. "Before the baby shower, I asked if Betty would be the godmother. Now that you're my brother-in-law, would you like to be the godfather?"

His mind was instantly filled with scenes from Coppola's cult classic film starring Marlon Brando. "Of course, I would like nothing more," he spoke with a thick Italian accent, causing everyone to break out into a fit of laughs. "What? Don Jughead not working for you?" They partied until the break of dawn and then the two packed up the rest of their belongings in FP's truck as they set off on their new journey as a family.

The End.

Prompt:


	10. Squeaky Clean Secret

A/N: it's complicated. I'm not specifically a write-for-a-prompt writer but I've gotten 2 suggestions now and I guess my inner Betty lives to please or something. I'll only write something if I don't mind the premise and have a good idea on how to do it, so I guess feel free to throw ideas and I'll do what I can?? Also the canon breaks a bit after we hit where episode 6 ends. Without further adieu.

Ever since Betty's parents, though specifically her mom, published Jason Blossom's autopsy, she felt like their sensationalization of the events to sell papers was sickening. With that, she had decided to dig for the truth of what happened and who better to help than Riverdale's own resident mystery writer, Jughead Jones, who was already writing a book about it.

He faked hesitancy, but accepted the offer. Betty's heart fluttered. She sent him out on his first assignment and he did this cute thing where he brushed his thumb under his nose. It confused her. Not why he did it, but how it made her feel. She had been in love with Archie for as long as she could remember and even though she briefly tried dating this guy she met in Los Angeles during her internship, she had felt nothing. So what was up with this spark, like her heart was jumping in her throats as spoke with the third member of their childhood trio? She decided to brush it off. Maybe it would go away.

Jughead' investigation bore fruit, as they discovered Dilton Doiley had fired the gun shot that both Archie and Cheryl had heard on that fateful morning. Unfortunately, this has opened Pandora's box, as Doiley gave up additional information to save his own skin from bad publicity. Ms Grundy was also at Sweetwater River on July the 4th. This lead to seemingly new implications as the investigators both knew Archie was also there. Jughead's throat went dry at the thought of Betty coming to realize he already knew.

X

She felt a rage, but it felt more over protective than jealous at this point. It was like her feelings were thawing and spring was arising. He was beginning to seem more like her brother than her dream beau, and she was willing to fight for that, even if he didn't want her to.

Upon confrontation, he asked if Jughead had told her and she angrily asked if Jughead knew. The two glanced towards the booth inside just to see Jughead shirk back in the booth, like he was caught doing something he shouldn't have. Archie was mad at him for not giving fair warning that Betty now knew, but Jughead didn't regret it. If anything, he wished he had told Betty from the get go, but it was not his secret to tell.

X

They met up at their shared office.

"Jeez Jug. Here we are, chasing a lead you already had! How long have you known?"

"A while."

"You could have told me, Jughead! I know you think you were just protecting Archie but he's my friend too. I would never hurt him." Betty groaned and continued pacing.

He stepped in front of her and grabbed her shaking arms. "You know I would have told you if I could, Betts. I'm sorry." And there it was again. That flutter, like butterflies and bees, and her heart was yet again caught in her throat as his face was so close to hers. She never realized how blue his eyes were, it was mesmerizing. They just stood there, frozen, and then Jughead let go and took a step back, awkwardly scratching his neck and refusing to make eye contact as he blushed.

X

In the coming days it was decided that they would go together to Jason's service. The idea was that they would use it as a chance to investigate Jason's room, but Betty bit her lip and was smitten at the thought of the fact that it was kind of like some morbid date. It certainly helped that he cleaned up so well, even if he still wore his adorable crown hat ever so proudly on his head. She wondered if he felt the same way but brushed it off. There were rumours around school that Jughead Jones was a woman hater, and she didn't believe that for a second even though he never really showed an interest in anyone at all so she wasn't sure he'd want to consider their investigation to be a date. Maybe they were just really close.

X

Upon finding out Jason had asked Polly to marry him, Betty realized her family was in it deeper than she had thought. Jughead had agreed to help her find her sister and go from there. They had spent so much time investigating as just the two of them that they were caught off guard when Archie offered to help. Of course, Betty looked to Jughead to shut that down fast. He claimed it was more of a stealth mission, but she felt it was a very vulnerable trip and she didn't trust anyone else to go with her. Jughead made her feel safe, like she could walk through the valley of fear and come out unharmed so long as she was with him. Screw Archie. The more time went on, the more he made her roll her eyes. He was still her friend, her brother, but it made her wonder what she ever saw in him.

X

Finding out the truth about Polly was as terrifying as it was relieving. She was so glad her sister was safe, but it scared her senseless that her own parents would hide this from her. That they lied about it. She was freaking out and then Jughead just showed up at the window. He was her prince in knitted crown cap, here to rescue her, and she swooned. He was the one person she could trust about her fears and worries. He saw that and comforted her. She wasn't crazy, and neither was Polly.

The crazy one was him, he thought, as he was magnetically pulled to a girl for the first time in his life. To him, people were people, and he could acknowledge that men and women were different but he didn't see them all that differently. Betty was the only girl he had stared at longingly. He never felt the way Archie did about other girls, he just liked her and it was growing stronger as they spent so much time alone together. Other girls were more like cats to him. Sure you might like a cat, but you didn't exactly what a relationship with them, or anything gross. To him, it almost felt like dating, something he never expected to do or even want to do. If a few months ago, someone had told him he would want to kiss a girl, he would have laughed. And yet here he was, cupping Betty's face in his hands as he pressed his lips to hers. It took her a second but she responded to him. He rested his forehead against hers.

"I'm tired of being in denial. This isn't _just_ an investigation, and it hasn't been for a while. We keep getting into situations where we can be alone together and I think we've been secretly dating this whole time." She smiled up at him as he said those words, faces still inches apart, hands still holding each other.

Then she snapped back. "The car!"

"Wow, in the middle of our moment?" He joked, but it was okay, because that's how they were. He was the blue and she was the gold. Doing things together was as much a part of their newly admitted relationship as their developing feelings were.

X

To the outside, it may have looked like they were putting this new relationship on hold, as they had other things to worry about, but they were each other's rock to weather the storm, even if they didn't have time to go out on "real" dates or anything like that.

And it was their little secret, seen in glances and smiles, but without anyone even noticing. They chalked it all up to being good friends and an investigation team. Nobody got too suspicious until after Archie and Betty threw Jughead a birthday party and Veronica tried to join in on the investigation.

She couldn't understand why there was hesitancy to let her in, so she went behind their back and started searching for answers with Archie Andrews. They found no leads and ended up at the dance. And there they were, Betty and Jughead.

Jug had a smile they had never seen before and Betty held a glimmer in her eye as they lightly held each other and swayed to the slow music. They didn't even notice as their friends crept upon them.

"Ahem!" Veronica pretended to clear her throat, startling the two lovebirds. "How long has this development going on for." She swung her arms between the two in case it wasn't obvious what she was referring to.

Betty turned a bright pink at having been caught. She was glad she didn't have to sneak around as much now that it was out in the open, but she knew she was going to miss the thrill of the secret and it was Jughead's wish to keep things private. She respected that.

"Not that it's any of your business but more or less this whole time," Jughead interjected.

" _This whole time?_ Jughead, that's not very specific. Like since you joined the Blue and Gold? Beginning of the school year?" He looked to Betty, confused, "Even further back?"

The blonde grabbed the hand of her not so dirty secret. "No, Arch, not that long. We sort of fell into it with all the time we've been spending together and the night of the talent show we made it official. There's just so much going on and we're not like other teens, going to fancy restaurants or anything, so we didn't think it was worth sharing. It was just our little intimate... secret."

Veronica smiled. "I like it. It's very yin and yang forbinned romance-esque. Like Romeo and Juliet."

"Except for the part where they killed themselves," said Jughead with his usual sardonic charm. Betty elbowed him in the gut.

"So you say but you've called me Juliet before." She stuck out her tongue.

"Well I _was_ climbing through your window. It felt like the right reference at the time."

The two continued their banter, back and forth, playfully, as their friends just watched in shock and awe in how they never noticed it before. That was it. Those two were definitely in love.

But love isn't always safe in a place like Riverdale.

A/N 2: For jsmizzle who wanted a secret relationship. I hope it's what you're looking for. I also played with the idea of a completely AU secret relationship since it's a lot harder to fit this in within the previous existing canon.


	11. Whisps

A/N: short but I wanted to write it.

There was one thing that always fascinated Jughead Jones like no other. Betty's hair. It may seem trivial and never in his life did he ever admit it out loud, but it left him in awe.

As soon as his sister could form sentences, she had asked her big brother to do her hair for her. Buns, braids, ponytail... In the chaotic state of their home, he was the only one who would make time. Sometimes Betty would help, especially with the more complicated ones, but she had meticulous fingers. Somehow, when Betty did hair, it was flawless. There was not even so much as a single hair out of place.

 _How is that even possible_? He saw her do it but it was not imitatable. She was just special. A talent probably drilled into her by her perfectionist mother, Alice Cooper.

Even as he knew Betty was not sleeping well because she was so worried about Polly, she still managed to drowsily put her hair up like it was nothing.

On one particular school day, when Betty was stressed out and tired, Jug suggested she take a nap on the couch while he edited the articles. She tried to fight him on it, her being Betty and wanting to do everything, but lost the argument when a yawn happened to slip out.

He never realized how vulnerable people were when they sleep. She looked at peace for the first time in like a week, and it brought a smile to his face.

Like clockwork, her eyes fluttered open an hour later and Jughead could not breath as he meant to just glance over at her.

Her pony was a bit loose and little wisps of hair were poking out here and there. She looked beautiful, like an angel.

She smiled up at him and he smiled down at her. Betty Cooper always tried to be perfect, but she was way more amazing just the way she was.


	12. Serpent Slut

Spoilers: takes place between events of episode 13*

Premise: Betty goes Easy A on her locker vandilization.

 _They want me dead? Well that's too bad because I'm dead proud._ Elizabeth "Betty" Cooper meant business and in no way was she going to let whoever the hell vandalized her locker win by seeing her break down. She decided to pay a visit to her friend Veronica who had a lofty amount of black in her wardrobe for such a previously-popular girl.

Betty was fearless in a sense that she never let it hold her back. During hell week she went to school in a cheer uniform that could pass as a swim suit. This didn't feel much different. She donned a black dress with pleather leggings underneath and a black and pink plaid shirt on top that she tied up Daisy Duke style. She put on a maroon lip colour and had Veronica draw a fierce cat eye eyeliner in jet black. But this was no dark Betty, this was just Betty who happened to go dark. She was in control.

All eyes were on her all day, and at lunch she stood on a table in the cafeteria.

"Ahem. I have an announcement to make! My name is Elizabeth freaking Cooper and I refuse to be shunned by some loser whose so willing to convict my family without even so much as a trial. I see you all out there with your celebrities on the internet. **Innocent until proven guilty** and yet I provided you with the proof and you still want to mess with me? I will go to the end of the earth for my family, and if that somehow gets me labeled a Southside Slut, than so what? I'll own that label and whoever put that doll there can hang just like Clifford Blossom did because I am sick and tired of this civil war. We all live in Riverdale, now act like it, you cowards. At least I put my name on something and stood up for what I believed in instead of hiding behind a comfort because I'm afraid of change or whatever bullshit excuse you use! Now excuse me, I've got better things to do with my time." She hopped off the table.

Jughead was equal parts impressed and terrified, but he never dreamed he would see his girlfriend looking like that and it made him a little hot under the collar. She walked up to him and planted a huge kiss right on the lips. It screamed **I am not ashamed**. She was already feeling quite rebellious so she led him out and away from the school, skipping the rest of the day and leaving everyone else to fill in the blanks as they may.

A/N: short but it popped into my head while I was sleeping so I did to get it out


	13. Baby Names

Last week, we took a few at home tests. Yesterday, we had a doctor's appointment. Both resulted in a positive. Luckily, Betty came from a very healthy family when it came to this sort of thing, but it was still early so we decided it was only close friends and immediate family only. She was having lunch with her mom and I was having a coffee at the old trailer with my dad.

He took a sip and eyed me curiously. He knew I had asked if I could come visit for a reason. I dropped a photo on the table. It had a tiny back circle on a grey background.

"What's that supposed to be?" He scrunched his eyes, trying to piece the puzzle together. When my mom was pregnant with me and then Jellybean, they hadn't found out until later in the pregnancy plus the technology was different back then, so he didn't recognize it for what it was.

"Betty and I are expecting. The baby should be about the size of a chocolate chip right now. The doctor put us at about 6 weeks when we saw her yesterday. We're only telling close friends and family right now. I'll probably talk to Mom and JB about it when I go home later."

"Awe man, does this mean I get to call Alice 'grandma'? This has to be the best thing that's happened since her and I became in-laws." FP Jones was smug as they come and I got a chuckle out of his antics.

"Seriously though, I'm so happy for you two. You'll have to give my congratulations to Belly. I can't wait for Forsythe the fourth to be born."

"Um dad, I don't think I want to name my kid after me, you, or Grandpa. Can't we let this tradition die? Neither of us even go by that name." I whined. He put his arm on my shoulder.

"That's what nicknames are for, kid. I'm FP and you're Jughead. I'm sure you and Betty will come up with something. Betty would probably be more into it then you are. She loves our family."

"Dad I'm not a kid anymore, and it's my baby. Shouldn't I get final say? And whose to say it's even going to be a boy?"

"Well sure, but I mean tradition is tradition, kid. My mom talked me into it and I'm sure I'll talk you into it, too. And if it's not a boy then it's Forsythia, just like Jellybean. That easy."

"Oh my god Dad. It's bad enough strapping a name like that to a boy, but now you want me to name my potential daughter after you, too? Dad no, just no."

We argued for hours, and I guess I forgot to check my phone because eventually Betty showed up. It was still very early so you couldn't tell she was growing our little bean just by looking at her, but I still knew it was there.

"What's taking you so long, Jug?" She put her hand on my shoulder.

"Oh thank god, Betty. You've gotta talk some sense into this kid. He thinks you're not gonna use the name Forsythe!" She bit her lip.

"Wait. Did you two already talk about this?" She nervously nodded her head.

"When we were all starting to get a bit tipsy at the wedding, FP told me he was really happy to have me as a daughter-in-law and we talked about it." _Betty, you traitor._

"It may go on the birth certificate, but we're not using it." I crossed my arms, clearly unhappy, but knowing I didn't stand a chance against the love of my life. She was doing all the hard work anyways.

"And I get to pick the nickname. Final offer." The two conspirators smiled at me, happy that I was finally caving in so Bets and I could go home. Looks like we met at a compromise.

I laughed, just happy that I had a family that got along so well, even if it was somewhat at my expense this time.

A/N: for itstenafterfour on Tumblr.


	14. Not another episode ten fic

A/N: A thought occurred to me and I had to write it. Kind of a what could have happened. This moment was in the garage during episode 10, not at Pop's, and it starts with canon dialogue. Kind of fits into the episode, maybe. It's also super short but I felt like publishing anyways because it's been in my queue for a few days now.

"Doesn't it ever occur to you just how different we are? Like on a cellular DNA kind of level? You're a straight-A student, you're a cheerleader, for God's sakes you're the perfect girl next door."

"I hate that word."

"I'm the damaged loner outsider from the wrong side of the tracks. Betty come on, who are we kidding? We're on borrowed time."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"Betty, I'm not one of your projects, okay? Like solving Jason's murder."

"No, you're not a project, you're my boyfriend."

"Until you're sick of slumming it with me or until Archie changes his mind and says he wants to be with you?"

"You know, Jug, I've always strived for the best but more often than not I come in second. I come second to Polly, I come second to Veronica, and I wouldn't have even made the cheer team without her interference. But for once, I thought I met this guy. I didn't put _him_ second, but he put _me_ first. He kissed _me_. He said we were the kind of people to walk each other home. So it's all well and good for you to throw this in my face, but if you truly believed that then why did you choose this, Jughead? Why would you choose me when you're not better than anyone else, no better than Archie. You all judge me just the same. You see this stereotype and that's all I am. It doesn't matter that we both have messed up home lives and parents we don't completely trust. It doesn't matter that we're both going through some hard times and that I thought we were really there for each other. I thought you were my rock and that maybe I could be yours. So you know what, Jughead? Fine. If you think that's who I am then go ahead and break up with me, because I don't want to be with someone who thinks I'm a caricature anyways and I sure as hell am not perfect. I don't even know how I could screw up _this bad_ and still have you throw that word in my face. Good bye Forsythe Jones, I'm leaving."


	15. Rebel Love Song

Bughead Soulmates AU

Elizabeth "Betty" Cooper had known Archibald "Archie" Andrews practically her whole life. The two of them were practically inseparable. There was a third member of their little group, Forsythe "Jughead" Jones III, but Betty only had eyes for her ginger-haired friend, Archie. With that in mind, when her soulmate tattoo arrives in the middle of eighth grade, she was more than thrilled.

It was believed that when you were old enough for your heart to recognize, your soulmate's signature would appear on your wrist, or other body part if need be. In chicken scratch on her arm was Archie Andrews. She pulled his arm and yanked the sleeve up in glee to verify that on his own wrist was Betty Cooper written in elegant cursive.

He pushed her. "Betty, I don't have feelings like that for you. This whole thing is just dumb and wrong." Tears slid down young Betty's face and she darted away.

She had never been there before, but she stumbled across the address and wrote it down in her contacts book in case she ever needed it. I guess today she did.

She stopped in front of a trailer for a moment, and then abruptly knocked. The door swung open, revealing a man with dark hair and five o'clock shadow.

"What are you doing here? It's not safe on the Southside for someone like you." His voice was soft, concerned not threatening.

"Hi I'm Betty," she got out between sobs, "and I was wondering if Jughead was here?"

The man nodded and screamed for his son.

"Betty? What are you doing here? _How are you doing here?_ " He looked incredibly caught off guard but pulled her inside and into a hug on the nearby couch. "What's wrong, Betts?"

She showed him her wrists.

"That's a good thing, isn't it? You're getting Archie forever. That's great, I'm so happy for you. But those don't look like happy tears."

"You're right, they aren't. He rejected me! My supposed soulmate, the person I've loved since I came to understand the concept! Now I'm destined for a life alone as a spinster from times long passed!" She bawled into here friend's shoulder and he pulled her away, looking her dead in the eye. He rolled up his sleeve and held it up to her face. _Trula Twyst_ was written in gentle cursive but it almost looked faded.

"I met her once, briefly. A couple weeks ago, she got hit by a bus and died almost instantly. I'm still young and not overly into relationships so I figured maybe it wouldn't be such a big deal, even though it means I'll probably never truly be with anyone. I know it's not the same, but maybe you can find solidarity in that neither of us can be with our soulmates."

The two clung together, determined to weather the storm. As they got older, the two became a bit distant from Archie, favoring spending time together instead. Andrews dated around but always wore an arm band protectively over his wrist. Occasionally a girl would come up to Betty and harass her. It was a sign that the band had slipped, and girls didn't like that. Jughead always told them off and held her hand.

Eventually they found themselves growing so close that they were like magnets, and after facing a bit of fear, they decided to date. It didn't matter that they weren't soulmates. They were in love, and that was all that mattered. Things changed around them but they were each other's constant. He protected Betty from her controlling family and she saved him from loneliness and hopelessness.

The two decided to go to New York. She went to Columbia for Journalism and he went to NYU for Film and Television, hoping to be a screenwriter. Archie ended up going to University of Chicago for Music so he could save money by living with his mother who moved there after separating from his father.

Archie was back home in Riverdale in the middle of his second year when his dad handed him an envelope. His heart stopped and his hands shook. He recognized the writing, it was Betty's. It had a gold seal on it, which was only used for formal things. Things like wedding invitations. He held his breath as he slit it open and took out the beautiful blue and yellow card from inside.

Now Playing this Summer:

The Wedding of Elizabeth Cooper and Jughead Jones

Please RSVP

He crumpled to the floor like a heaping mess and his father looked down at him quizzically.

"Dad, there's something I never told you." He gulped and waited a minute to find the words, but found an action instead. He removed his newest arm band and held his wrist out for his father to see. "Betty and I were just kids when we found out and I rejected her. We were so young and I wasn't ready. I wanted to date and explore and all that great high school stuff- and I did. I always just kind of assumed we would end up together afterwards. We're supposed to, right? But now she's marrying my other childhood best friend and I don't know what to do. Do you think if I object, it will do any good?"

Fred Andrews' head was reeling. He tried not to blame himself for not raising his son better. Maybe after the divorce things had gotten a bit out of hand, maybe they spoiled him a bit. Funny, that word spoil. Usually it means giving people too much or acting like they're worth more than they are, but sometimes it's more literal, like spoiled milk. Archie was facing the consequences for his actions.

"Archie, no. It's Betty's choice and she won't exactly fall into your arms if you ruin her wedding. Maybe things won't work out; they didn't for your mom and I. Just chin up. You made some dumb decisions and now come the reprocussions. I'm sorry." He crouched down and put his hand on his son's shoulder.

Despite what his father said, Archie still intended to object at the wedding. The date crept closer and closer until finally it arrived. He sat in the pew, anxiously tapping his foot, waiting for the exact perfect moment. He was a bit jaded that he wasn't even asked to be a groomsman, but he knew he wouldn't be able to handle being that close. He sat near the back.

"If anyone objects to this union, speak now or forever hold your piece."

Archie stood up. "I do."

Alice Cooper laughed a throaty malicious laugh. "Archie, the objection is a tradition to prevent incestuous marriages or getting married to someone who is already married. Your jealousy isn't exactly a legitimate concern. You lost your chance."

"That may be so, but this is!" He ripped his armband off and held his hand in the air. Everyone was looking back at him. They felt embarrassed. His arm was a blank canvas.

From the front, Betty was crying with a huge smile on his face. She turned her hand over and Jughead did the same with his. For her, Archie Andrews was replaced with Jughead Jones. It even had a little crown beside it since it was his signature. On his arm was Betty Cooper instead of Trula Twyst. Finally, fate proved they were meant to be together.

"Well, now that we have that settled, I deem you married and now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride."


	16. Fingernails

"Oh Betty..." my eyes were watering as I turned her palms up and saw the tell tale crescents that she had pressed her fingernails into her flesh until it bled. She was my best friend, my family, my rock, my biggest supporter, and the love of my young life.

In the movies, love is portrayed like a black and white film that bursts into technicolor, but the real world is too cynical for that. I loved her with all my heart and that was not enough, it was never enough, to save her from herself. Love doesn't stop you from feeling the downs, it can just provide you with someone to hold your hand and ride the roller coaster with you. Unfortunately, this civil war brewing in town had mapped itself out on her beautiful skin, like a constellation in the sky.

I told her she could always call me, that she was never alone, but when the demons are at your door, I guess we all sound fake. _I didn't want to bother you_. You never bother me, Betty, especially not with this.

She didn't want me to worry, but I did. I once tried it, just to attempt at understanding it. I felt like I was bruising my nerves but I never could break the skin. Thinking back to it, I looked down to my hands and it struck me. I had short and dull nails. Nails are awkward and unmanly and they just get in the way. I don't like them. I always cut them off.

Betty's nails were long and feminine, probably sharp too. Given Veronica's wealthy upbringing, she probably got mani pedis with Betty fairly regularly.

It was like a puzzle clicking into place and I grabbed my coat and bolted, not telling my foster family where I was going or even saying so much as goodbye.

Despite being so far away, it felt like I had arrived at the front door of the Cooper residence within minutes. I knocked and then took a minute to catch my breath while I waited.

Betty opened the door and gave me an inquisitive look. I pushed past her and ran to the washroom. Bath salt, bandaids, tweezers, nail polish, nail polish removed, feminine hygiene products... Where was it?!

 _Ensuite._ I heard Alice and Hal talking downstairs in the kitchen so I ran through their room and checked the mirror cabinet. I breathed a sigh of relief. Right there was a manicure set, with clippers, mini scissors, and a nail file.

Betty got to the doorway as I was about to walk through it.

"What are you doing, Jug?" I held out the little pink shell case they came in.

"I realize I can't make you stop, and there's way too much going on. I want to help. Please let me help you, Betty," I pleaded.

"You want to cut my nails," she stated, bluntly.

I held her hands as I spoke. "I want to keep you safe, and if that means cutting your nails short and buffering them so they're too dull to hurt you anymore, then so be it." I pulled her hands to my face and kissed her knuckles. "You'd still have the prettiest nails I've ever seen and you can still paint them, just dull and not long, okay? I love you."

She nodded. "I love you too, Jughead Jones." A tear slid down her face and I gently wiped it away.

"Hey, we don't have to do this if it makes you this upset." I lightly tugged at her chin so she would look up at me. Her eyes met mine, piercing.

"It's not that, Jughead. It's just...," she looked down at the marks and clicked her tongue, "I never thought it would get this far; this bad."

I pulled her to me and let her cry it out.

"Shhhh shhhhhh hey Betts, it's okay. We all have our coping mechanisms. We just need to find you a new one, and we can do this together. In life, love might not conquer all, but I'll still be your champion. You don't have to be so strong all the time. Strong is all you ever are, but there's so much more to you, Betty, and you have such a big heart. There's so much to love, so don't throw it away by hurting yourself, intentional or not. I love you."

We stayed like that for what could have easily gone on forever, but eventually footsteps were coming so we moved to her room. Sitting cross legged across from me, she gave me a small smile, held her hands out to me, and then looked to the side like she was getting a needle.

As gently as I could and as meticulously as possibly, I cut her nails and shaped them to fit in with the "perfect" Cooper standard. I filed them down to a dull edge.

"Did you want me to call Veronica for a spa night? Maybe she can paint your new nails?" I sent her a sympathetic look. Her was gaze cast up to match mine.

"When we were little and I was almost a tomboy because I liked to play with you and Arch, Mom always scoulded me. _Stop breaking your nails Betty. Nobody will think you're pretty with gross, dirty nails._ _Why can't you just grow your nails long like normal girls?"_ Betty scoffed bitterly. "It never mattered what I wanted. It never mattered that it was literally hurting me. But it matters to you. It will take some getting used to, but they look beautiful. Thank you so much, Jug, for taking care of me and finding ways to teach me to take care of myself for when you can't be there. I love you, too."

A/N: the idea came to me and I just had to write it, even though it was a bit short. Me and a lot of people in my life have been going through some pretty hard times and we all want to support each other but sometimes we don't know how or can only help in small (but no less meaningful) ways. It also occurred to me that what Betty does is either difficult to do for the average person, or impossible with short nails. My own mother has hounded me about my nails and I finally managed to grow them out just for them to rip and break at work, so a part of this is a bit personal, too.


End file.
